Northern California
is a booming business area which the White House Drug Czar has
concluded also is one of the nation's most active drug centers.
With major logging and fishing industries and one of the world's
most beautiful coastlines, the district also has its share of
environmental problems. So Howard Mintz, who covers the courts
for the Mercury News, was astonished when he discovered that TRACFED
data showed the federal enforcers in Northern California came
in close to the bottom when it came to dealing with white collar
crime, illegal drugs, environmental enforcement and many other
areas. Fleshed out with extensive quotes and insights from dozens
of responsible officials, Mintz's ground-breaking article ran
on the front page of the Mercury News on April 11, 1999.